Sergei Filin

The Russian Ministry of Culture announced this morning that there would be an external inspection of the organisation of St Petersburg's Vaganova Ballet Academy. It will examine the economic and educational structure for irregularities after ""the emergence of numerous items in the media, which refer to procedural violations at the Vaganova Academy". Though, bizarrely, the … [Read more...] about Meanwhile in Russia… Vaganova & Bolshoi latest

Sergei Filin, director of the Bolshoi Ballet Company, appeared in court today in Moscow to give evidence in the acid attack case, supposedly instigated by Bolshoi dancer Pavel Dmitrichenko. Filin said that he couldn't forgive the perpetrators who almost blinded him.Dmitrichenko apologised to him, saying that it wasn't his attention to hurt him, but Filin underlined the fact … [Read more...] about Sergei Filin appears in court & Dmitrichenko says he’s sorry

Pavel Dmitrichenko, the Bolshoi Soloist accused of organising the attack on the company's director, Sergei Filin, was beaten up by masked police as he was taken back to prison following a pre-trial hearing.
According to Izvestia, he was beaten by three police officers without apparent reason. Dmitrichenko was handcuffed, but they held him against a wall and struck his hands … [Read more...] about Bolshoi dancer beaten up by police

Graham Spicer

Writer, director and photographer in Milan, blogging (under the name 'Gramilano') about dance, opera, music and photography for people who are a bit like me and like some of the things I like.

I was a regular columnist for Opera Now magazine and wrote for the BBC until transferring to Italy. My scribblings have appeared in various publications from Woman's Weekly to Gay Times. I write the 'Danza in Italia' column for Dancing Times.